The sphere of energy collided with the Abyss Lord. With a thunderous boom, it exploded on impact.
However, the Abyss Lord's defenses were far from fragile. That level of attack wasn't even enough to break through.
Of course, Jiang Yan knew that.
So after forcing the Abyss Lord to take the energy blast head-on, Jiang Yan suddenly tightened the hand gripping his head.
Crack!
With a crisp snap, the Abyss Lord's skull shattered instantly.
Seeing Jiang Yan kill the Abyss Lord so casually, the surrounding gods were all stunned.
"Damn… I knew Jiang Yan was strong, but I never imagined he'd be this strong!"
Barbatos' eyes were wide with shock.
At this moment, Jiang Yan's true strength was laid bare before the gods.
Normally, when they met, Jiang Yan rarely needed to make a move. So although they knew he was powerful, they had never realized just how overwhelming he truly was.
Whoosh… whoosh…
Pitch-black wind spiraled through the sky as the Abyss Lord's body reformed once more.
"It's useless, Wood Spirit Immortal Lord. Even if you fight me for another two thousand years, I will remain immortal!"
The Abyss Lord laughed hoarsely, mocking Jiang Yan.
"Is that so…"
Jiang Yan's tone carried a trace of helplessness.
"That really is troublesome."
After battling him for two thousand years, Jiang Yan was well aware of the Abyss Lord's inability to be completely erased.
No matter what method was used to shatter him, he could never be fully exterminated.
Even five hundred years ago, when Jiang Yan had forced the Abyss Lord's regenerative ability to reach its limit—rendering him temporarily unable to reform—he had still reappeared after five centuries of recovery.
Truly a bug-level ability.
Ironically, the one with the biggest "cheat" was lamenting someone else's.
"Heh. Wood Spirit Immortal Lord, this time I admit defeat!"
The Abyss Lord looked at Jiang Yan and Phanes behind him, speaking darkly.
"The lifespan of an elf is but ten thousand years. One day, you too will pass."
"I will return…"
"Wood Spirit Immortal Lord. Phanes."
"I hope that when the time comes, there will still be people like you to stop me."
With those cold words, his body dissolved into thick mist and vanished.
As the Abyss Lord disappeared, the surrounding Khaenri'ahn machines lost their power and collapsed to the ground.
The humans controlling them had their lives stripped away along with the dispersing black mist.
King Irmin of Khaenri'ah knelt on the ground, head lowered, his body shrouded in black fog before disappearing entirely.
The citizens of Khaenri'ah fled the battlefield in panic.
At this moment, they understood—
The nation of Khaenri'ah was destined to fall.
Phanes raised his hand, his gaze indifferent and lofty.
Divine power descended upon the subterranean nation.
Countless civilians fell to their knees, wailing in agony.
Just then, Jiang Yan suddenly appeared beside Phanes and reached out, grasping the hand he had raised.
Phanes: ???
Jiang Yan grinned.
But in the next instant, Phanes' puzzled expression turned solemn.
He could feel it—after Jiang Yan clasped his hand, the curse he had been about to impose upon the humans was forcibly halted.
Jiang Yan said nothing.
On his right hand, the Power Stone and the Mind Stone glowed simultaneously.
"You intend to stop me?"
Phanes asked calmly.
"Oh, don't make it sound so serious. How about letting them go? They're just innocent civilians."
Jiang Yan smiled.
"They touched forbidden knowledge and led this war."
"They deserve eradication."
Phanes' tone remained flat.
"Imposing a curse upon them and granting them the right to continue living on this land is already an act of mercy."
"You have a point."
Jiang Yan did not release his grip.
"How about this—I won't stop you from placing a curse."
"Some people truly deserve to suffer."
"But I want to say—even in Khaenri'ah, not everyone deserves to die."
"At the very least, those innocent civilians knew nothing of Khaenri'ah's mad research."
"I will erase from their souls all memories of this war and of living in Khaenri'ah, so they will no longer remember any of it."
"What do you think?"
Phanes looked at Jiang Yan steadily.
"Why… do you care so much about these ants?"
He did not understand.
A being who stood shoulder to shoulder with him—why would he care about the feelings of mortals?
Jiang Yan smiled faintly.
"Care… huh?"
"I suppose."
"I just think that those who deserve to die must die."
"But the innocent shouldn't be dragged down with them."
He released Phanes' hand and turned toward the kneeling crowd.
There were women, children, burly men, and elders with gray hair.
Some looked at the gods with hatred in their eyes. Others stared in confusion.
They gazed at these lofty beings—
Why had they destroyed their homeland?
"Heh. See?"
Phanes stepped beside Jiang Yan, speaking coolly.
"Even if you stop me, these ants will not thank you."
"Humanity is like this. If you treat them well, they grow greedy and demand more."
"If you treat them poorly, they seek to overthrow you and drag you into the abyss."
Phanes had his reasons for thinking so.
He had created all living beings.
Once, he had granted humanity nearly everything they asked for.
He had even created a paradise like Eden for them.
But human curiosity led them to question the authority of Celestia.
They sought wisdom beneath the earth.
And in doing so, they touched forbidden knowledge.
That act brought about the descent of the Second Throne.
Phanes battled it, the world teetering on the brink of collapse. Though he won a narrow victory, he had to recreate the world.
From that moment on, he understood—
Humans could no longer be treated as before.
The heavens ceased responding to their pleas. The Seelie were punished.
Afterward, gods roamed the land, and the Archon War began.
In the end, the present world was formed—
The era of the Seven Archons had arrived.
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